Open House: What should be done to rid Chandigarh of encroachments by street vendors and shop owners?

To curb the proliferation of illegal street vendors in Chandigarh, a comprehensive approach is needed. This includes enforcing existing laws, establishing designated vendor zones, regular monitoring, public awareness campaigns, offering alternative livelihood opportunities, engaging stakeholders, streamlining permitting processes, imposing penalties, collaborating with urban planners, and ensuring adaptability in strategies.

Prithvee Yakhmi, Chandigarh

Offer training to registered vendors

Empower existing vendors through designated zones, offering training and permits. Partner with NGOs to create vibrant markets, blending commerce with community spaces. Prioritise pedestrian safety with designated zones and strategic green spaces. A thriving city needs a balanced beat, not just a cleared path. Let’s make Chandigarh a symphony of order and opportunity.

Gurdev Singh, Mohali

Limit licences issued to vendors

The MC needs to start limiting the number of licences that they give out to street vendors every year, and MC officials need to be vigilant to ensure that street vendors do not encroach upon parking land or land that is designated for other purposes. There is a need for a toll-free number so that people may report illegal street vendors to the administration, and CCTV cameras need to be set up at every market.

Kirpal Singh, Chandigarh

Councillors should be accountable

The MC, police, and councillors of different areas need to be responsible and keep a check on illegal proliferation of vendors. It is important to note that during the festive season, a lot of big stores do not hesitate to spread their retails in corridors of markets, which adds to the vows of the pedestrians. The authorities need to maintain vigil in all the markets of the city, and area councillors need to form teams to check for illegal street vendors in the city.

NPS Sohal, Chandigarh

Register vendors

Illegal vendors should be jailed for at least six months as they cause inconvenience to residents. People who buy from these illegal vendors should also be challaned. It is shameful that people park vehicles on roads that are already congested to buy fruits, vegetables and other items from the illegal vendors on the roadsides. It should be mandatory for all the vendors to display their registration numbers whenever they set up their stall.

Capt Amar Jeet, Kharar

Fix operation hours for street vendors

Street vendors’ footfall has increased manyfold throughout the Tricity, which has been causing inconveniences to residents as well as commuters. The need of the hour is the allotment of specific areas by the municipal corporation for street venders and fixing their time of operation during the day. Lastly, street vendors should be registered with the authorities concerned and must display their ID with a photo and name tag to avoid any criminal activities.

Col TBS Bedi, Mohali

Vendors should provide live locations

Deterrence and incentives are the two silver bullets in India. All encroachments by illegal street vendors should invite severe punishment. Issue licences and make wearing identity cards mandatory for authorised street vendors. It should be mandatory for all street vendors to give live locations to the authorities so that the MC knows all vendors are in their designated areas.

Brigadier Advitya Madan, Chandigarh

Ensure quality check on food vendors

All the public places, such as markets, parks and hospitals, among others, have been encroached upon by street vendors. These vendors not only encroach on roads and open places but also serve unhygienic food to the people, causing food poisoning. There should be designated places for street vendors, and the MC should keep a quality check on these vendors so that innocent residents do not fall sick.

Wg Cdr JS Minhas (retd), Mohali

Police should depute officials at markets

The police need to be held accountable in cases of street vendors encroaching on parking and other areas of a market. The police should depute officials to keep a check on the street vendors at every market in the city, and violators should have vends confiscated to keep sufficient space for visitors. The authorities concerned should inspect the areas randomly at least twice a week, lest the city lose the tag of ‘smart city’.

KC Rana, Chandigarh

Awareness campaigns for residents, vendors

Chandigarh Administration should ensure the registration of the street vendors in their respective areas, and there should be an awareness campaign for residents and vendors as well to avoid encroachment onto market land. The authorities need to mandate proper guidelines for the vendors to follow, and violators should face severe punishments.

Pooja Gautam

Create designated vending zones

Implement strict measures combined with education campaigns to raise awareness about the negative impacts of encroachments. Create designated vending zones with proper infrastructure to accommodate vendors. Encourage entrepreneurship by providing training and support for legal business ventures. Collaboration between authorities and communities is key to reclaiming public spaces and ensuring a vibrant yet orderly urban environment.

Gaganpreet Singh, Mohali

Skill development programmes needed

The administration needs to partner with resident welfare associations to identify problematic areas and create designated vending slots through mutual understanding. Develop a mobile app showcasing authorised vendors and their locations, promoting transparency and convenience for residents. Support alternative livelihoods through skill development programs and microloans for vendors who opt out of street vending.

Amanjot Kaur, Mohali

Alternative livelihood opportunities

Implement strict enforcement drives against unregistered vendors, with videography and fines, as directed by the High Court. Educate and sensitise the public about the problems caused by illegal vendors and encourage them to report any violations to the authorities. Promote alternative livelihood opportunities and skill development for the unregistered vendors with the help of NGOs and government schemes.

Gurpreet Kaur, Mohali

Need for Daily check by authorities

There should be daily checks from officials of the authorities concerned to keep a check on encroachments by street vendors. Those found in violation should have their licence cancelled. Having said that, the administration should show empathy towards the vendors by having a concrete plan to rehabilitate them. There needs to be dedicated areas in the markets for street vendors.

Yash Khetarpal, Panchkula

Create awareness among vendors

The Chandigarh Administration needs to start offering street vendors free licences and designated parking areas, promoting mobility and deterring encroachments. A collaborative effort with the police to provide vendors with a week-long training on city security, traffic rules, and cleanliness further strengthens this partnership.

Vijay Katyal, Panchkula

Admn should maintain record of vendors

The government should demarcate legal vending areas at designated places in the city and should allow licenced vendors to operate in those areas. Moreover, it should update its list of legal vendors every six months.

Dr Preet Kaur, Kharar

Keep tabs on corrupt staff

It is the laxity of the government to curb the menace of illegal street vendors. The government should keep a tab on their cops for collusion with street vendors. Routine checking and impounding their goods will help put the cap on encroachments.

Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali

Residents need to contribute

Chandigarh Police needs to be vigilant to catch the unauthorised vendors. The residents should call the police in case they see an illegal street vendor, or a vendor encroaching on government or private land.

MR Bhateja, Naya Gaon

Maintain law and order in city

Street vendors who violate laws should face strict punishments. All the government, NGOs and social organisations need to come together to organise campaigns to educate the residents as well as the street vendors of the city to maintain law and order in the city.

Vidya Sagar Garg, Panchkula

Make registration easy for vendors

The MC should make registration of street vendors easy and make designated areas in the city for them to operate. The administration should declare the mandi at Sectors 26 and 39 as vending zones.

Col Balbir Singh Mathauda (retd), Chandigarh

Vendors should pay 1-time fee for space

Chandigarh MC should rehabilitate street vendors at designated places across the city. There should be a procedure where the street vendors should be allotted a particular space and would have to pay a one-time fee for it. Although it is a fact that street vendors add to the beauty of the city, some vendors should also be allotted spaces in markets.

Sanjay Chopra, Mohali

RWAs should be at forefront

The RWAs, NGOs and market associations need to be at the forefront when it comes to identifying specific areas for street vendors to operate in the city. The residents need to start taking responsibility and reporting street vendors who establish vends in unauthorised areas.

Vijay Shukla, Chandigarh

Restrict number of vendors in markets

Street vendors who encroach upon footpaths cause congestion for visitors to markets. The MC needs to restrict the number of street vendors in every sector of the city. The MC must carry out routine checks, and vendors without licences should be fined.

SS Arora, Mohali

Conduct surprise raids across city

There is a need for clear demarcation between residential and market areas. RWAs may be able to help in checking encroachment in residential areas. Surprise raids are being conducted across the city to remove these encroachers. A vendor in residential areas should have to bear heavy fines, and their licence should be cancelled.

Dr Rajeev Kumar, Chandigarh

Provide livelihood to vendors

Street vendors should be provided training and support for alternative livelihoods. The administration must engage with them to understand their needs and concerns. Strict penalties and fines must be imposed on illegal vendors to deter them from encroaching on public spaces.

Anita K Tandon, Mundi Kharar

Associations, vendors should hold meetings

Market associations and street vendors need to come meet and discuss specific areas for the vendors in the city, as the administration has apparently decided to keep their eyes shut until the situation spirals out of control.

Dr Anil Kumar Yadav, Chandigarh

Ensure hygiene, proper waste disposal

The MC must implement a plan that identifies and provides proper licences to the street vendors. Proper areas should be fixed for street vendors to operate, and the MC needs to keep a regular check on the vendors to ensure hygiene and proper waste disposal.

Medhavi Behl, Chandigarh

Accommodate licenced vendors

Proper allotment of space to vendors is needed, and stringent laws should be in place for the implementation. They should conduct business in the allotted space, dispose of garbage in a segregated manner, clear goods after vending hours, display vending registration certificates and IDs during business hours, and provide common civic amenities.

Charu Malhotra, Mohali

Safeguard govt land in city

Strict action should be taken against vendors to safeguard government land from encroachment. The MC needs to be vigilant to maintain the beauty of the city.

Adish Sood, Amloh

Empower street vendors of city

Consider designated ‘street food zones’ with vibrant branding and hygiene standards, offering a curated experience for residents. Partner with NGOs for training on food safety, waste management, and digital payments. This transforms vendors into small entrepreneurs, boosts local tourism, and creates a lively, regulated street food scene that complements Chandigarh’s character.

Sahibpreet Singh, Mohali

Door-to-door vending should be allowed

Licences for door-to-door vending of milk, dairy products, fresh vegetables and fruits should be provided to the vendors at nominal rates. They may be allowed to use the restricted times in the morning and evening.

Sqn Ldr Manjit Singh Johar (retd), Chandigarh

Violators must be penalised

Encroachments in parking spaces, inner roads, and other places in every sector cause inconvenience for residents. Existing illegal vendors must be reviewed and issued valid licensing by the authorities concerned. Spaces should be earmarked in all sectors for vendors to operate. Violators must be penalised.

Pritpal Singh Gill, SAS Nagar

Develop designated spaces for vendors

The government should develop spaces for vendors and sell them to them at subsidised rates. The MC should conduct regular checks at these spaces to ensure proper hygiene. This would help increase employment in the city as well as reduce the crime rate in the city.

Avinash Goyal, Chandigarh

Question for next week

Vehicles parked on pavements and roadside lead to traffic congestion and create inconvenience for pedestrians and residents alike. What steps should the Chandigarh Administration take to address this problem?

Will hold meetings with officers

I will hold meetings with officers of the administration to study the problem of encroachments by street vendors and shops across the city. Throuhg these meetings will come the best possible solution to the problem, keeping in mind the welfare of the residents of the city and taking care of the vendors here as well.— Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor, Chandigarh mayor

Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to [email protected]